


In one world, he lived across the hall

by Nowaki



Series: In Another World [3]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Apartment AU, Disabled Character, F/M, Realistic Injury, Service Dogs, based on a prompt from shittyaus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-14
Updated: 2016-08-25
Packaged: 2018-07-15 02:34:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7202771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nowaki/pseuds/Nowaki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You have a rare and marvelous spirit. In another world..."<br/>In this world, Solas lives down the hall from the most beautiful girl he's ever met but he isn't sure how to bridge the age gap and her disability. He's given the oppertunately when she brings home her service mabari.</p><p>Based on the prompt from Shittyaus on tumblr:<br/>“You’re my neighbour in a no-pets-allowed apartment but I definitely heard a dog in here so let me pet it or I’ll tell the landlo– oh god I’m SO SORRY, I didn’t know it was a service dog!” AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Wolfram the service mabari is based on my co-worker's service dog, Bridge. He's a balance dog as well and they just graduated from training. I had permission to use some of her experiences in this for which I am extremely grateful. The only big difference is that the Inquisitor wasn't in a car accident but the traumatic brain injury can fit her situation as well.

Saying that Solas had weird neighbors was putting it mildly. The top floor of the Penta-Sky complex wasn't a bad place to live, it had a great of the city and it was a short walk from where he worked. The owner Cassandra was nice enough although she frequently left her door open so everyone could see her sharpening her sword collection.  
He was pretty sure that his landlord kept all the freaks on her floor so she could keep an eye on them. Solas liked to believe he was the "exception that proved the rule" although it was more likely he was just stranger than he'd like to admit and thus belonged there.  
He lived at the very end of the hallway so every day on his way home, he walked past the Qunari who was not so secretly crushing on the pretty boy across from him that had a snake collection. The Tevinter liked to pretend it was all one sided but the whole floor knew otherwise. Solas was ninety-nine percent sure that Dorian let his Cobra escape weekly just so he had an excuse to call the one person in the complex that was immune to the venom.   
At night he would hear the opera singer practicing until Sera did the whole building a favor with her nightly prank. Everyone got pranked by her at least twice a month but so long as she continued to shut Viv up, no one complained.  
His closest neighbors were an old veteran suffering from PTSD who occasionally had an episode and a writer who was friends with everyone except the landlord who he was probably blackmailing. The furthest two rooms, both beside the elevator, were home to occupants he didn't know quite as well. One was a boy named Cole that looked far too young to living by himself and somehow managed to unnerve everyone around him. The other was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She made it a point to chat with everyone and occasionally they'd meet in lobby. She let him drone on and on about his research and never complained. She didn't say much about herself, he didn't ask. She never even told him what her name was and by the time he noticed that he only knew her by "A. Lavellan" it would have been too awkward to ask what the A stood for.  
It wasn't that he was uninterested. On the contrary, he very much wanted to get to know her however he found it hard to ask her questions. He was afraid any one of them might eventually lead to "that's how I lost my arm."  
Really, what did you say to someone ten years your junior who had clearly been through something terrible?  
 _"I'm old, you're missing a limb. We probably get the same social security check. Let's get coffee?"_  
He wasn't that old, and would never be so rude, but it was a humorous scenario that he feared would come true if he wasn't careful about how he approached her.

Fortunately, the solution came in the form of a dog whining as he passed her door one Sunday morning.  
"You're so smart." He heard her coo. "Whose a handsome boy? Whose the best dog ever? Good boy."  
He knocked before he could stop himself.  
He waited a few seconds after the footsteps stopped, giving her time to check the peephole. When she opened the door, it was with the protective latch still on. He couldn't blame her for that.  
"Good morning, Solas. You're up early this morning."  
"Yes, I like spending my day off in the woods. Don't tell anyone, they'll think I'm turning Dalish."  
She laughed. It was a nice sound.  
"Anyway, I stopped because I thought I heard a dog. I know Dorian is trying to run a zoo here but when I signed the lease agreement, I was told no dogs. I'm not going to say anything to her but Cassandra does live two rooms down and-"  
"She knows." She cut him off. "Wolfram is a service dog."  
"Oh." He said, sounding just as stupid as he felt.   
"I finally got to bring him home last week but we're still in training." She explained.   
"I seem to have made a complete ass of myself." Solas admitted, but she merely shook her head.  
"You were trying to help me smuggle a dog in, it's not like you threatened to report us." She chuckled. "Would you like to meet him?"  
"Yes. That would be lovely."  
She shut the door in order to unlatch it and as soon as it was open, he was greeted by the pale mabari sitting beside her.  
"He knows when his vest is on that he's working. So whenever it's off, like right now, he's just a normal dog."   
"Hi there, buddy," he said, reaching down to pat his head. "I don't suppose you're allowed in the coffee shop?"  
"As a matter of fact, he is."

Solas became good friends with Wolfram, who Anastasia -he learned her name when the barista asked what to write on her cup- called "Wolfie." He learned that he was a balance dog and that Ana had suffered a brain injury in the explosion that took her arm. Solas admitted that he thought it strange she went everywhere with a staff, though he now knew it was a walking stick.  
"I should be the one with a cane." He joked.  
"Now that I have Wolfie, you may as well just take it."

Solas bought dog treats. He kept them beside the door so he could easily grab a few before he left. This worked out in his favor the first time they came to his apartment. He'd recently translated a century old text for her and now she wanted to know how to do it herself.  
"I see you thought of us." Anastasia said, bending over to take Wolfram's leash off.  
"Wolf is my favorite neighbor." He joked, gesturing toward the couch. "You can make yourself at home. I'm brewing us some coffee but I can put some tea on if you'd rather have that."  
"I brought my own water." She said, holding up a water bottle. "A bowl for Wolfie would be nice though."  
He'd prepared for that and had a nice round tableware container ready for him.  
"Ancient elvish is different from what the people speak today but it does share several words." Solas explained. "Did you bring a notebook?"

She stopped by for a lesson once a week. Each one was longer than the last. After two months, she asked if she could leave one of Wolf's toys. Solas had never agreed to something so quickly in his life.

Their weekly meetings turned into hanging out almost every other day. They exchanged texts while he was at work and while she was away at various training and meetings.  
Anastasia was always approachable but now that she had a dog, everyone wanted to say hello to her in the lobby. Solas would pause as soon as he saw a kid running and Ana would explain that they needed to pet him behind the vest.  
"Kids aren't too bad." She told him one evening while he cooked them dinner. "It's the older people."  
"Like me?"  
"Oh hush, you know what I mean. They don't listen when I tell them he's working and they argue about petting his face. It's a nightmare." She sighed. "Children are so much easier. They don't care how old you are or whether you have pointed ears, you're an adult and they'll listen."  
"So, it's also a human thing?" He asked as he flipped their salmon over.   
"Sometimes I think it might be." She sighed. "I was sort of dating a human. You know, before."  
"What happened?"  
"I was discharged."  
"I know that, I meant what happened to the relationship?" Solas asked, forcing himself to put his spatula down before his knuckles turned white.  
"Well, I didn't see the Major after I left." She said with a forced laugh. Solas wasn't sure if he should be glad they'd drifted apart or angry at the man who caused the pain in her voice.  
"I'm sorry."  
"It was just a fling." She lied, coming up behind him. "Looks about done."  
Solas turned off the burner before the fish could start turning black.  
"He must have been a fool to let you go."  
"That's putting it mildly. He told me that he wanted someone strong as if I couldn't beat the snot out of him one-handed." She said bitterly. Wolfram whined. "But that's ok because I have this handsome man in my life now, isn't that right?"  
Solas hushed her and warned, "careful you don't say that too loud, Dorian might get jealous."  
"He's already mad that I skipped yoga night to spend time with you so I doubt it matters."  
A timer went off.  
One of his eyebrows arched, "yoga night?"  
"Dorian does yoga and Bull provides commentary. I just show up for the food. Plus as his best friend, it is my duty to tell him when he stops being a hot mess and actually starts to look terrible."  
"And we're missing all that fun?" He asked dryly, pulling the sweet potatoes out of the oven.  
"Bull texted me ten minutes ago that Dorian actually said 'what happened to sisters before misters' while complaining."  
Solas almost snorted but he was plating food and didn't want to gross her out.  
"Anyway, I decided to give up on dating. There's plenty of fish in the sea but most of them are humans that want me to be their cute, submissive, little elf trophy." She sighed, "the rest either won't talk to me because I'm 'damaged goods' or they're elves who just want to rebuild the empire."  
"I'm sure there is a suitable man out there." Solas told her, setting their plates down.  
"I think I may have met one." She said, flashing a smile.  
"He must be very lucky."  
"He's a smart man, he knows how to make me laugh. Wolfie likes him, that's the most important thing."  
"Ana," he started, confidently.  
"Solas," she replied with a smile.  
"If the man you speak of is who I think it is, I think you can do better." He said honestly. "He's ten years older than you and his looks leave much to be desired. You deserve better."  
"For the record," she said, leaning in. "I wasn't talking about Blackwall."  
He choked on his laugh and had to cover his mouth.

"I don't understand why we're having a house warming party for a guy who isn't actually moving." Cassandra said while she helped the young elf braid her hair. Solas had learned in a round about way that Anastasia had actually been Cass's commander, once upon a time.  
"He is moving. Kinda." Ana replied, catching his gaze in the mirror. She grinned.  
"You mean he finally decided to stop denying that he spent every night there anyway." Solas quipped.  
"Dorian has too much pride for that." She joked. "He's claiming that he's just moving the rest of his personal stuff next door so he can have more room for snakes."  
Cassandra made a disgusted sound. "When he asked me if we allowed reptiles, I thought he meant turtles or a bearded dragon."  
"The closest thing to a bearded dragon he has is Bull." Ana laughed making their landlord roll her eyes.  
Wolfram whimpered. He needed to go to the bathroom.  
"Solas, do you mind?"  
He was out of his chair before she even finished speaking. Although out of his harness, the mabari was still on guard. He didn't stop watching his mistress until the door closed behind them. It had taken Solas an embarrassingly long time to pick up on it. He was often occupied by looking at the same person, so it was understandable.   
Wolf was constantly doing his job, standing beside her even without his harness and bridge that supported her. He was alert and ready to do whatever was needed.  
Twenty minutes later, they were both sitting beside Anastasia. The mabari on her "good" side and Solas on the "bad". Solas doubted he would have come if she hadn't insisted that everyone else on their level would be there. She was correct unless one counted the snakes as part of "everyone." They outnumbered the human residents nearly one to three.   
"I didn't want to stress any of my babies out by bringing them but I could send Bull to go get Kaa. That's the big one." Dorian told his guests cheerfully.  
"No one wants to see you or your boyfriend's anaconda." Sera screeched.   
"How many times do I have to tell you? Reticulated Python!" Dorian growled but Bull was laughing with her. "Oh fine, laugh it up. Just wait until CC gets out again. See if you're still laughing then!"  
"If that serpent ever finds its way into my loft, I will see that it is returned to you without its head." Vivienne threatened him.  
"You wouldn't really do that." Cole said, making her jump. He must have snuck up behind her. "You found the small, brown snake in your vanity drawer when he first moved in. You cried because you thought he was dying."  
"How do you know that?"  
"I know everything." Cole answered, shrugging. "I know he was attracted to the warm lights around your mirror. I know your hat scared him into playing dead. I know Dorian still has the scarf you wrapped him in."  
"Cole, that's enough." Varric said, shoving a drink into his hand. "So, who wants a preview of my next book?"  
"Or we could open gifts." Anastasia suggested, "I can't wait to see what you brought, Viv! That box is huge."  
With the primadonna sufficiently distracted, Cole was able to vanish. No more thoughts were spared for him as Sera made a big deal about Dorian opening her gift first.  
"Should I be frightened?" He asked, shaking the box gently. They all listened as a couple small objects rattled inside but there was no humming. "If there are bees in here, I am going to throw you off the balcony."  
"Not with those flabby arms you're not!" The elf giggled.  
"You're right, I'll have Bull do it."  
She flipped him off. "Just open the damn thing!"  
The hissing started the minute the box was opened. Dorian flinched but he still managed to reach down and pick one of the insects up.   
"They're hissing cockroaches." She explained. "I figured since you liked scaly critters, you might like these. Kinda similar, yeah?"  
"Great. Thanks."  
"It's kind of cute." Bull said, picking another one up. "They eat veggies so I guess that means I don't have to eat the bunny food you buy anymore."  
"They're almost as gross as you are, my dear." Vivienne told Sera.  
"Did you encourage this?" Dorian asked him while Sera shouted profanities.  
"I once mentioned to her had them when I was a kid." Bull shrugged. "She said that she was the Bonnie to my Claude and I told her that those were the names of my roaches."  
"You never told me that."  
Bull shrugged again. "It was stupid. I had to hide them anyway."  
"Oh I can't wait to hear all about your rebellious teenage years after we're done. Next!"  
Cassandra handed them an envelope.  
Dorian looked like he was going to faint. "These are supposed to be sold out for the next year."  
"I used your deposit. Bull wasn't getting it back away."  
"Hey, we fixed everything we broke!" One of the Qunari's friends objected.  
"Everything except the roof." The landlord sighed.   
"How did you lot manage to- oh, it was the fireworks, wasn't it?" Varric asked, a grin on his face.  
"You're lucky I didn't take your deposit after that stunt!" Cassandra said crossing her arms.  
"It was Hawke who bought them, not me."  
"You got everyone in the building drunk." Cassandra snapped.  
"How was I supposed to know blondie would almost blow the place up?"  
"Alright, that's enough fighting." Anastasia interrupted. "Wolfie, pick it up."   
Wolfram took the gift that she'd set in front of him. He looked at her for further instruction.  
"Give it to Dorian." She pointed and the mabari walked over and held the present out for him.  
"Thank you." He said, patting the beast's head.   
"Good boy. Come back."  
Dorian unwrapped the book backwards and had to flip it over to see the cover. He looked up at them with a smile.  
"I assume this is from both you and Solas?"   
"I didn't know what books you liked so we went to the store and picked it out together." She admitted, crossing her arm over her chest and taking Solas's hand.  
"I figured we could chat more about the series after you got caught up."  
The party continued but Anastasia didn't let go of his hand.  
After they'd sat through all of the gifts and the seemingly endless banter from their neighbors, she hugged Dorian goodbye and said she needed to go lay down. The wine was going to her head, she claimed.  
Solas walked her home, watching as Wolf matched her pace.  
"I don't recall you drinking any wine." He observed.  
"If I were sober, why would I leave the party early?" She asked, unlocking her door. Wolfie patiently waited for her but she didn't go inside, instead she took a bold step into Solas's space. "Are you calling me a liar?"  
He leaned in and smirked as he whispered, "I don't smell alcohol."  
She put her hand around his neck as she captured his lips. She let him go after a minute, not expecting him to recuperate. This time he was the one pulling her in, instigating the deeper kisses with a slight tilt of his head.  
"Confusion. What do I do?"  
Cole's voice is what finally pulled them apart. Solas did his best not to glare at the boy as he passed them.  
"What was that?" Ana asked.  
"He looks confused. I think you should go inside and take the vest off." He explained as he opened his own door and disappeared for the second time that evening.  
"I should be going." Solas said, removing his hands from her waist and shoulder.  
"See you tomorrow."

Solas had a hard time falling asleep. Bull's friends were making a huge racket as they played cards with Tom, the human in the room beside him. Normally this would cause Cassandra to kick them out, were she not arguing with Varric about a plot twist in his current novel. Which naturally took place in the dwarf's room on the opposite side because clearly the universe did not want Solas to sleep.  
There was also the fact that he couldn't stop thinking about the kiss.  
Further down, he heard a moan. Dorian and Bull were probably christening their shared apartment even though they'd probably had sex in every room numerous times already. Solas wondered if anyone would get a wink of sleep tonight.  
With his own grumble, he left his apartment and walked down the hall. Sera was passed out in front of Viv's room, the door marked with a giant golden star that read "thespian lesbian". He was ninety-nine percent sure that Sera hadn't come up with that herself but she was holding tape so he assumed she was the one to post it.  
One of the ceiling tiles moved above him and suddenly Cole hoisted himself down. He grinned at Solas as he passed.  
"Don't tell Cass but I replaced the rat poison with cat food again. They're smart enough not to eat it so I figure I might as well give them real food so they don't chew the wires."  
Solas nodded as if that made perfect sense. At this point, he wasn't going to question anything.  
She opened her door two minutes after his knock. He felt incredibly selfish for dragging her out of bed when he saw the walking stick in her hand. Wolfram was at her side, looking annoyed.  
"Sorry," he said immediately. "I didn't mean to wake you."  
"It's okay, I was sending an email to an old friend."  
He glanced down, unsure what to say and feeling more than a little guilty. What the hell was he even doing here, he wondered.  
Anastasia cleared her throat and he realized he'd been staring at her bare legs.  
"Sorry," he said, forcing his eyes back up.   
"Did you need something, Solas?" She asked, arching an eyebrow and setting her staff against the door frame. "Or did you just want to check out the sick scar I have on my side?"  
He grabbed her hand, stopping her from pulling her baggy shirt up. She laughed at him and stepped back inside, pulling him along.   
Once she closed the door, things got awkward again. He didn't really have a reason to be in her suite this late, he'd just felt drawn there. He struggled to think of something, anything, he could say that wouldn't sound like he was only interested in a booty call.  
"I think that Cole can talk to animals." Was his profound declaration.  
She shrugged, "that's better than Sera's theory."  
"And what is that?"  
"He's one of the x-men."  
He nodded, "sounds like something she'd come up with."  
"So, what's the real reason you came down?" She finally asked.  
"I actually wanted to apologize for earlier. The kiss was impulsive and I shouldn't have encouraged it."  
Anastasia sighed, "it's okay, I get it. You're not the first guy to tell me he wasn't interested in damaged goods."  
He gaped at her.  
"I thought you were able to look past my flaws but I know it's a lot to ask-"  
"Ana-"  
"No, it's fine." Her eyes were glued to the floor. "I'm not trying to guilt trip you, I understand where you're coming from."  
"Ana, that isn't-"  
"What the hell else could it be?" She challenged, suddenly crowding him against the door.   
"I only meant that I didn't want to rush you into anything," he explained. "You deserve much better than a bald, old man."  
"Are you serious?" She asked, looking skeptical.  
"Ana, you are the most beautiful person I've ever met."  
"Don't let Dorian hear you." She said, smiling at their inside joke.  
"I'm being serious."  
"I know," she said, turning away from him. He followed her into her bedroom, hesitating as she sat down.  
"Sometimes it's easier to sleep if you have someone beside you. I have Wolfie but I can't just lend him out so you can sleep here tonight." She scooted over to give him room.  
Once he was in bed, she threw a leg over his middle and pressed close to him. "Gotta save room for the hound."  
"You must secretly be a Ferelden." He teased, stroking her hair.  
"Maybe I am."

They were awoken several hours later by the fire alarm. No one seemed surprised that they left the same room, except maybe Sera who kept looking at Ana as if she'd grown a second head.  
"Did he yell Elven Glory?" She asked, making him wonder if she was still drunk.   
Vivienne blamed Cole for the fire at least a dozen times until the firemen confirmed that there was nothing to fear, the alarms had just been triggered by some idiot who didn't know how to cook properly. Everyone shuffled back to their rooms except Solas who returned to his dear Ana's room that they shared with a mabari who kept trying to worm its way into the middle of the bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: I just fixed all the italics. AO3 does not play well with them. lol

Anastasia was slowly getting used to the fact that her life was going to change about once a year. It started when she was in her twenties and joined the service so she could see the world. It was a massive culture shock to the girl who'd spent her whole life living off the land. The food didn't taste as good but she learned to like it. Her first time in combat, she fell back on training. She got the job done. Her life had changed again with the first man she brought down. She told herself it was just like a deer. Something she had to kill in order to survive.  
Then she lead her first mission as a lieutenant and again, things changed. She had lives that she was responsible for. Killing was no longer just about her survival and that changed things as well.  
She didn't remember the bomb going off. She had no memories of what happened during that op. By the time she was out of the hospital, no one remembered the explosion that they'd witnessed on their television sets. Cassandra, her first human friend who'd served under her briefly before her family pushed her further up the ranks, was the only one to visit her. She'd left the military, decided to make her own name for herself and invited Anastasia to join her.  
Ana came out of the tragedy alive but she dragged the souls of her team home with her. At night she had nightmares of leaving them behind while she ran for cover, of betraying them. Doctors called it survivor's guilt. In time, she was able to forgive herself for failing them. She learned to trust herself and how to function with one arm. Her mother stayed with her for two months before she couldn't stand the noise any longer.  
Things changed all the time. She changed.  
Then she met Wolfram, one of two mabari that would help her get around. He was going to give her a normal life, they said.  
It turned out to be a lie but only because normal didn't exist in Ana's world. Wolfram changed her life and by now, she welcomed it wholeheartedly. When they finally walked across the stage, an official team, she knew it was happening again. Her life was about to be pulled in a new direction.  
Solas changed things too.

"So, what's your plan?" Dorian asked as soon as she let him inside. He'd been at the door only seconds after she texted him that it was a state of emergency.  
"I don't have a plan."  
He sighed and proceeded to start pacing the floor. Wolfram glanced at their visitor curiously before he went back to staring at her. He had been thrown through a loop by his owner's strange behavior and had fallen back on his training. Even without his vest and harness, he was standing ready at her side.  
"Can I see it?" Dorian asked, turning on his heel.  
"It's in the junk drawer." She replied, pointing. Wolfram rushed forward, thinking he was going to be put to work. Dorian followed him and looked in drawers until he found the correct one, Wolf returning to Ana when he was given no further instructions. "It's under the box of screws. I was looking for spare batteries when I found it."  
Dorian picked up the box and rushed back. "Did you look at it yet?"  
She shook her head, "I don't know if it's really a ring, it could be earrings or something. I'm not even sure which I want it to be."  
"Do you want to find out?"  
She nodded and he kneeled down in front of her so she wouldn't have to stand up.  
Three things then happened at the exact same time: Dorian opened the jewelry box, the apartment door opened, and in his excitement, Wolfram lifted a leg and peed on the pile of old books Solas had set under the coffee table.  
The look on Solas's face when he entered the room to see what appeared to be their flaming homosexual neighbor Dorian proposing to the woman he'd been seeing for the past year and a half while her service mabari relieved itself on his books was absolutely priceless.  
It was truly a testament to their relationship that he didn't take his obvious foul mood out on the dog. Dorian ditched them almost immediately, the opened box left on the coffee table in front of Anastasia. Solas took a deep breath and returned it to its hiding place before he got to work drying off the tomes and examining them for damage.  
"You're more quiet than usual."  
"I'm organizing my thoughts." He replied.  
She got up and went to the kitchenette to heat up some left-overs. She took the time to transfer their food into plates instead of just microwaving it in the plastic container. Solas was a little picky about that. Once she'd heated up their plates, she set them on the table and returned to the living area and her roommate of six months, mabari at her side. "Hungry?"  
"Starving." Slipped out before he remembered he was upset and continued brooding. She returned to the table, not wanting to hover, but waited for him to finish worrying over his books.  
He joined her shortly afterward. Their meal was quiet except for a couple attempts at small talk. She took Wolfram for a walk, slightly annoyed by her partner's behavior. It wasn't her fault she'd found the ring. It wasn't her fault he decided to come home early to have lunch with her and hey, accidents happened and Solas was old enough to know he shouldn't leave his books laying around where the training dog could get to them.  
Solas had returned to work by the time she got back, a short note promising "we'll talk later" was all that he'd left.

_"This is her brother, Wolfram." The trainer said, walking the new dog over. Anastasia had just met his sister Leonie, a dark colored mabari with slightly more muscle than the one in front of Ana now._  
_Wolf was skinnier, but she reminded herself that they were both still growing. He was more relaxed, had a different aura about him. When she met the dog's eyes there was nothing but love in them._  
_"Unlike his sister, he responds more to affection than treats. He wants to please you."_  
_She knew the moment that Wolfram licked her hand that he was the one. There was still a long road ahead and months of training but she knew which dog she wanted to bring home. They made a note of her selection and she kept her fingers crossed up until they finally handed her the leash and pronounced them a training team._

"I'm sorry."  
Anastasia wasn't against apologizing when she was at fault but today had just been ridiculous. She texted him her remorse despite everything. He didn't answer until a few hours later when he told her he was on his way home. He didn't normally pick up his phone at work so she tried not to feel bitter.  
"I'm sorry for how things turned out." She told him honestly when he got home. Solas kissed her forehead and told her that it was alright.  
"I had hoped that things would go according to plan for once," he sighed.  
"Since when does that happen around here?" She joked, lifting both arms as she put one around him. They stood like that for awhile, embracing in the doorway, his chin resting on her head.  
"I was going to wait until our second anniversary." He whispered into her hair and for a minute the world seemed to stop.  
"I could pretend to be surprised." She told him, leaning back so they could make eye contact.  
"There's no point in delaying the inevitable." Solas sighed, taking a step backward so that she would release him. He was gone less than a minute, retrieving the ring from where it was hidden. He didn't get down on one knee like Dorian had, he even made it less difficult for her by removing the ring and holding it so she could easily slip her finger into it if she wanted to.  
"Anastasia, will you marry me?" He asked, holding himself confidently despite the worry in his eyes.  
"Of course," she told him, holding out her hand for him. It was the happiest she'd felt since she'd been given command of her first team.

_There was a knock at the door. It took her a minute to get to the door. She took a breath and glanced out the peephole. Solas, the male elf down the hall. He had never come to her room before._  
_She opened the door, chain latch still engaged. Could never be too careful. Especially now that she looked vulnerable. She almost felt bad about her distrust when he took her for coffee. They ran into Dorian and Bull, who were only just starting to be honest about their feelings. Well, Dorian was finally admitting it. Bull had always been an open book. He wore the spare key to Dorian's apartment on his neck and his heart was forever on his sleeve._  
_Solas was surprisingly social with them. Bull mentioned that they used to play chess together and bragged that Solas stopped coming around because he was sick of losing. He argued that he was just too busy._  
_Dorian made a snide comment about Bull being too busy with him to entertain other guests._  
_"I'm glad you two are finally getting along," Solas commented. "I was growing tired of your monsters roaming the hall."_  
_"For the record, she never actually left my room." Dorian huffed. "She's not even dangerous."_  
_"She just spits venom." Bull added._  
_"She has never harmed anyone, even on her worst days."_  
_"Regardless, I think I speak for everyone when I say that I'm glad I no longer have to hear you calling for your big, Qunari hunk every Friday evening." Solas teased._  
_"You're just jealous I got to him first!" Dorian replied._  
_"Obviously." The other elf remarked dryly._  
_"Did I ever mention that my mum wanted me to have a big, Qunari hunk looking after me?" Ana asked, laughing._  
_"No, but before she went home, she gave me your number and told me to take you someplace nice." Bull said, leaning back in his chair._  
_"Oh gods, did she really?"_  
_"Yeah, how did you think I got your number?"_  
_"Dorian."_  
_"I would never give out a friend's number!" He huffed._  
_"Oh really?" Solas asked, "I wonder how Sera got mine then." It wasn't really a question._  
_"First of all, I said a friend's number." Dorian said flashing him a smile. "Second, she steals my phone every third Tuesday of the month."_  
_"She hasn't pranked me yet." Ana said, "it's kind of disappointing."_  
_"You're lucky," Solas told her. "Once she glued a wig on me while I was asleep. Luckily, it wasn't super glue so it didn't pull any skin off but she made a missing persons poster using a photograph. It had my number on it too so I got calls from people whenever they saw me."_  
_"I've had far worse," Dorian replied. "She tricked me into thinking she sent nudes to my dad."_  
_"How?"_  
_"She changed Bull's contact name in my phone and then re-sent him a couple photos."_  
_"I didn't mind." Bull replied._  
_"I almost had a heart attack!"_  
_"Speaking of heart attacks, remember when she hid Tom's meds and he freaked out on Cole because he thought he was using them to get high? I was afraid he was going to murder him." Solas added, shivering at the memory._  
_"Ok well maybe it's a good thing Cassandra is keeping her from pranking me." Anastasia decided. These didn't sound like the type of thing she wanted to deal with._  
_"Most of the time they aren't that extreme." Bull pointed out. "The worst she's done to me is dye my beard pink."_

"It could have been worse," Solas told her that night as she nuzzled his throat. "Wolfram could have eaten it and then we'd have to wait for it to pass."  
"Or Cole could have fallen from the ceiling."  
"Viv could have started singing 'Take Me or Leave Me' from Rent."  
"Sera could have replaced it with a lollipop ring."  
"Sera, period." He sighed, a hand stroking her back lazily.  
"Does it bother you that I don't have a ring finger?" She asked, throwing him through a loop.  
He took her hand and ran his thumb over the ring. "I hate to break it to you, Ana, but you've got five fingers."  
"Yeah, but it's not the right one."  
"It doesn't really matter what side you wear your ring on, does it?" He asked.  
"I dunno. You're the traditional one." She teased.  
"Are you calling me old?"  
"I would never say that!" She replied innocently. "Although, if we don't get started on rebuilding the empire soon you might have to take those pills they make for old men."  
He huffed, "you're starting to go a little too far."  
"You want to do something about that, grandpa?" She laughed, scooting back so she could give him a look.  
Wordlessly, he turned over, pressing his body against hers.  
"Careful, you might want to ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough-"  
He cut her off with a kiss that stole her breath away.  
Then he promptly backed off and laid down on his stomach.  
"Hey, what are you doing?"  
"You suggested I speak to a physician before attempting intimacy. I intend to follow your advice."  
"Oh, come on." She nudged him. He put his head down and closed his eyes until she gave him a light kick. "Solas, you know I was joking."  
"I didn't think you were the type to make jokes at another's expense. I feel betrayed."  
"Would you like me to make it up to you?"

A year later found them on a plane, Wolfram sitting at their feet, heading to the old country where Anastasia's clan still lived. He wasn't a fan of the Dalish but he figured if their clan had produced Ana, they couldn't have been that bad.  
"I'm nervous," she admitted. "My grandmother is an amazing keeper and I'm sure she will give her blessing but since you're unmarked, she may refuse to wed us."  
"I translated what she could not of your family's old grimoires. Surely that will count for something."

"Why couldn't they give you a Halla?" Anastasia's brother Bran complained, shacking his head. He had picked them up in a dirty, old aravel and then guided them to the family yurt where they sat now, waiting for the rest of the clan to finish their daily tasks.  
"Mabari are loyal and easy to train." She explained, "they make prefect service animals."  
"I've been training Halla for over a decade. There's nothing you can teach your mutt that one of them can't do."  
"Wolfie, sit." She said, the dog quickly obeying.  
"Oh sure, he can do tricks but the useful stuff? A Halla can do all that."  
"Oh really?" Her mother asked, coming up from behind them. "I've never seen a Halla open a door."  
Bran sputtered while Anastasia laughed. She looked just like her mom, only younger. The same tattoos framed two pairs of brilliant eyes.  
They embraced for a full minute, speaking quietly, in a rushed Dalish that even Solas had a hard time following.  
Finally, she greeted him, "Andaran atish’an. Welcome to our home."  
"Ma serannas. Thank you." He answered.

_"The Iron Bull" was the first of her neighbors that she met. He saw her mother struggling with a heavy box and insisted on helping her move things upstairs._  
_Needless to say, Anastasia wasn't prepared for a Qunari to casually walk into her apartment, boxes piled up to his face._  
_"Hi, you must be Anastasia." He said once she'd gotten over her initial shock. "Cass said you'd be moving in this week, told us to be on our best behavior so The Iron Bull is at your service."_  
_"Iron Bull?"_  
_"My real name is kinda awkward and hard for other races to pronounce so you can call me Bull for short." He explained. "Anyway I better go before your mom tries moving more stuff and throws her back out."_  
_When he finally finished bringing everything upstairs and politely refused a tip for his help (because "that's what neighbors do"), her mom hugged him and tried to invite him to stay for dinner (despite their earlier plans to get pizza delivered)._  
_"Sorry, ma'am but I have plans this evening. Maybe next time." He smiled and waved them goodbye._  
_"Did you really intend to unpack all of our kitchen appliances just so he'd stay longer?"_  
_"He was a nice, strong man. Just the type you used to wild over."_  
_"Mom!"_  
_"What? Is it wrong for me to want my daughter's happiness?"_  
_"I'm going to order pizza. If you want to back him an apple pie, feel free to use all of the nothing in our fridge."_

_"Hiya, I'm Sera- oh. Cassandra said you served together so I thought, well, I imagined someone less elfy." The blonde, Sera, giggled. "She also said I wasn't to prank you but I figured, you don't want to be treated differently just cause you're a little stumpy. Heh, stump. Sorry, that's too far, innit? Anyway I usually give people a month to settle in but I'm feeling generous, an Cassie'll kick me out, so I'll give you two months before I prank ya. See ya 'round, Elfy-Annie!"_  
_Anastasia blinked at her now vacant doorway until she heard the shower turn off. Her mother wandered out of the bathroom a few moments later._  
_"Was someone at the door?" She asked. "Was it the pizza?"_  
_"No. One of my neighbors came to introduce herself. It was weird."_

_She met the Tevinter the next morning. He was sitting on the outside steps, smoking. She was pretty sure he was breaking a law or at least an apartment rule but she wouldn't be the one to say anything to him. Even before she left home, she knew the prejudice his people had towards elves. Anastasia could defend herself if need be but he seemed content with his smartphone._  
_"I can see you staring," he said after a moment. She flinched._  
_"Sorry."_  
_"I'm used to it," he replied, meeting her eyes. "When you're this handsome, it's impossible for people not to look."_  
_She giggled despite herself and he extended a hand for her to shake._  
_"Dorian Pavus, the pleasure is all yours."_  
_She hesitantly took his hand. "Are you related to-"_  
_"Yes, unfortunately." He answered before she could finish the question. "I'm one of the few refugees lucky enough to have made it out of the country."_  
_"You don't really look like a refugee." She said, trying to push back the image of the poor elves her clan welcomed. "Although I suppose someone with valuable information would be given special treatment."_  
_"I have money in an off-shore bank under a fake name. I gave them everything I could, no strings attached, with the exception that they protect me from my father."_  
_"Don't worry, I'll protect you from those nasty 'vints," drawled the Qunari, closing the door behind him._  
_"Your princess is in another castle." Dorian replied, rolling his eyes._  
_"Oh, I wouldn't call this place a castle."_  
_"Whatever, are we going or not?"_  
_"We should invite Ana!" Bull said, suddenly grinning._  
_"I don't have an extra helmet."_  
_"We can take the car."_  
_"But it's such a beautiful day, we shouldn't waste it."_  
_"Hey, Ana, would you like to go to the gym with us? Vets get in for free on Tuesdays."_  
_"I wish I could but I wouldn't be able to do much," she replied. "Maybe after a few more rounds of PT."_  
_"That's fair. I had a to complete a feed of it myself. Bad leg. Still have to wear a brace sometimes."_  
_"You two ought to form a little club with Tom and Cass," Dorian sassed. "Hell, you might even want to invite Solas. He looks like he's probably seen some shit."_  
_"Actually, I think he just doesn't like you that much. Can't blame him, to be honest."_  
_"I hate you." Dorian groaned._  
_"You two are cute together." Anastasia announced as soon as Cassandra pulled up in front of them. "I'll see you later, have fun!"_

_"So you've met Bull and Dorian." Cass said as they sat down. A red headed waitress brought them over a bottle of wine._  
_"And a girl named Sera."_  
_"Please tell me she behaved."_  
_Anastasia nodded._  
_"There's ten rooms on our floor," Cassandra continued, leaning back slightly. It was probably the most relaxed that she could be. "Would you like me to brief you on your remaining five neighbors or shall we debrief the three troublemakers you've met so far?"_  
_"Debrief." She laughed. "What are your thoughts on Bull?"_  
_"He's the leader of a biker gang that likes to trash my building. He does free repairs for me though, not just what he and his friends break."_  
_"He was in a war."_  
_"One of the Qunari-Tevinter squabbles."_  
_"And yet he and Dorian?" She asked._  
_Cassandra laughed, "you catch on quick. I didn't know until I walked in on them."_  
_Anastasia snorted and quickly covered her nose._  
_"Dorian is an arrogant prick but he pays well and I can't discriminate against him for his linage."_  
_"So what's he done?" Ana asked._  
_"He has a snake collection."_  
_"A collection?" She asked, raising an eyebrow._  
_"It turns out, there's only a restriction on animals with fur."_  
_"I see. Maybe I'll go adopt a Gurgut then."_  
_"I was worried about people trying to bring nugs in so I made adjustments."_  
_"And then there's the other elf."_  
_"Which one?" Cassandra asked. "Oh, right, you met Sera. I warned her that I would burn our contract and toss her out if she pulled one of her pranks."_  
_"She said she's giving me a two month grace period." She laughed. "She might have been trying to lure me into a false sense of security though, I'll have to watch out."_  
_"If she does, I will skin her alive."_  
_"Oh, it's just a bit of fun."_  
_"Ana, you could get hurt." Cassandra said seriously. "Your mother told me about your fall."_  
_"It was nothing."_  
_"You could have drown."_  
_Anastasia clenched her fists under the table. She was excused from attempting to argue by a waitress coming to take their order._  
_"I know that it is not my place but I worry about you. There's a center that one of the guys here goes to, they might be able to get you some kind of assistance."_  
_"I'm not interested in group therapy or a wooden arm."_  
_"I didn't mean like that. I was thinking about your brain injury and loss of balance. Have you considered looking into a service dog?"_

Most of the clan didn't expect him to understand elvish. Solas was in no hurry to challenge that opinion. Anastasia's family knew he was fluent in both Dalish and the ancient tongue, no one else really mattered.  
If they called him a city elf in passing, there was no harm done. It was only a minor annoyance compared to the wealth of information he got from listening to what they didn't think he understood.

Keeper Lavellan did not return until well after sunset. No one bothered to explain where she had been to the "city elf" and Ana was busy trying to catch up with everyone. Wolfram was on his best behavior which somewhat surprised Solas. He'd expected him to be distracted from working by all the new smells but the mabari remained attentive to his master.  
Their Keeper went to bed with only a brief greeting and a quick kiss to Ana's forehead.  
"We better get some rest as well." She said taking his hand. "My dad is off on a hunting trip but he'll be back tomorrow."  
"I wondered why there were so few adults."  
"My mom usually leads the hunting party but she wanted to meet us when we arrived."  
"Bran too?" Solas asked. "I got the feeling he didn't care for me."  
"Nah, he's a lousy shot and makes too much noise."  
Solas followed her back to the small tent he assumed had been set up for them. Without question, he merged the two bedrolls into one while Ana changed. The wind smelled like rain and he wondered if they'd be soaked by morning.  
It wasn't very comfortable but Ana was half laying on his chest and Wolfram was a warm, familiar weight on his legs. His muscles would be stiff in the morning but it was tolerable enough that he drifted off easily.

"You look beautiful," he told her when she woke up. The rain was beating against the exterior of their shelter, creating a beat for the melody of bird calls.  
"You say that every morning."  
"And every morning it's true, ma vhenam." He whispered, earning a peak on the cheek.  
"Sweet talker." She teased. "You just say that to get in my pants."  
"I'm just being honest." He replied, "however, I'm not going to deny that the perks of being honest with you are very nice."  
She giggled and cuddled up closer to him.  
"I don't suppose your family has a coffee maker available?" He asked.  
"We have a kettle for tea."  
He groaned which only made her laugh more.  
"You should take this opportunity to explore your roots." She said trying to encourage him.  
"My roots are not here." He huffed.  
"Believe it or not, coffee didn't always exist." She hissed into his ear before giving it a quick nip.  
Solas shuddered. "Blasphemy."  
They spent a lazy morning waiting for the rain to die off enough for them to make a dash to her family's yurt -dash meaning a brisk walk with Solas and Wolfram both supporting her- where they were treated to Mrs. Lavellan pondering about possible grandchildren.  
"We have Wolfram." Solas pointed out. They had never discussed the topic, other than throwing around the innuendo about rebuilding the elven empire. He had suspicions that Anastasia couldn't conceive, she didn't bleed yet she took no medications. Even if she were, he doubted it was safe.  
"I thought Bran was seeing someone? Why don't you ask him to have your grandkids?" Ana asked.  
"It's different when you live on the outside. You could adopt, there are thousands of elven children that need good homes with their own kind."  
Solas looked at the floor while the women talked about their culture disappearing. He had always thought the empire euphemism to be nothing more than a joke but now he wondered if there wasn't a small bit of truth. Their race may never return to its former glory but they could still help to preserve the lifestyle of those who remained. Solas had always considered himself to be above the Dalish because he'd studied what their people used to be and compared the two. However, perhaps he had been unfair. They weren't perfect, they got things wrong, but they were also the closest link to the past one could make. These were the descendants of the people who remained strong enough to carry on through war, disease and abuse. They deserved respect for that at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was starting to get long (11 pages in Word!) so I decided I better extend this to a 3 chapter fic. Sorry it's getting sappy.  
> This is hardly my best writing so I'm sorry if it's disappointing. Let me know if you have suggestions.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now for the thrilling conclusion!

Keeper Lavellan was not impressed with Solas in the least.  
He had grown accustomed to amazing people with his intellect, especially humans who still harbored misconceptions about his race. These elves were different. They didn't care to hear his opinions on their shared ancestry or his theories about the fall of their once great nation. Anastasia's grandmother had given him a hard look when they were finally introduced. She took the hand Solas offered him, not to shake it but to inspect the lack of calluses.  
"You've never done a hard day's work in your life." She dismissed before turning toward her granddaughter. "You never mentioned in your letters that the man's legs were smaller than your bicep!"  
"That's not true," Ana rolled her eyes.  
"No, but your hips are wider than his shoulders." She muttered. "You're lucky you're my favorite granddaughter."  
"I'm your only granddaughter."  
"And that's why I want the best for you." The old woman said, "look at him! I've seen you split thicker logs."  
"I don't see why my appearance matters." Solas chimed in, feeling oddly objectified. Next she would likely make a comment about him being bald.  
Anastasia's mother June put a hand on his shoulder. "Why don't you help me outside, son?"  
He followed her out, rain still coming down. He hoped she wasn't planning to have him help build a fire. They seemed to be heading towards a stash of dry logs. Fortunately, she led him to the Halla shelter instead.  
"Have you ever seen a golden Halla?" She asked.  
"No." He answered truthfully. "I thought they were a myth."  
"They're very rare but some exist. Gold only applies to the horns, their bodies are chive green." June laughed. "My clan didn't know much about genetics but we kept good records and eventually we discovered that if you bred the right sire to a golden, you had a fifty-fifty chance."  
"So you probably had a great deal of them?"  
"Until the Shem hunters started stealing from us, yes. Luckily we were one step ahead of them."  
"Oh?" He asked. It was idle chat, meaningless in the long run, but he didn't mind conversation. At least one of Ana's relatives wanted to talk to him.  
"August Rams aren't actually a ram, did you know? They're closer related to the Halla. They're like a donkey and horse, close but not quite the same. If you breed them you can get a hybrid, just like a mule."  
"So you started breeding the golden ones to Rams."  
"Yes. It makes them a little more green but the horns are what's important. We keep watch over the real Halla and let the mixes roam further. The Shemlen haven't the faintest idea."  
"Genius."  
"There's lots of ram in these parts. Two were given to my clan as a dowry."  
He nodded.  
"My mother in law likes you," she told him. "She just wants what is best for Ana."  
He blinked at her.  
"She's not going to forbid Ana from marrying you, she's spent the past two weeks preparing for the ceremony."  
"Then why-"  
"It's not easy being an elf in a human world, you know this. It is even harder when you can't defend yourself."  
"The world has always been dangerous-" he was cut off by a firm grip on his wrist.  
"You don't know what they do to elf women who can't fight back." She hissed.  
He grimaced.  
"Our Keeper lost her only daughter to shemlens." June shook her head. "When Ana refused to come home after her injury, she worried that we would lose her as well."  
"I know I probably don't inspire much confidence but she can look after herself. She taught me to throw a punch on our third date."  
"Solas, you are a smart man. Please be realistic." The woman begged him. "She was once fast enough to flee a great bear, but if something were to happen now, she would not be able to escape."  
"So because I'm not a big, strong Qunari with giant horns, I may as well not get in the way?"  
"Exactly."  
"How do I win her favor then? I'll never be as tough as a Dalish elf."  
"Usually a man must prove himself able to provide in order for his proposal to be taken seriously. Being of the city changes things. Think of what you have to offer our Ana and I'm sure you will prove yourself worthy."

When Anastasia's father arrived with the rest of the hunters, the dark clouds surrounding the clan seemed to vanish. The rain continued to drizzle but it was light enough that it didn't immediately soak through his clothing.  
"It'll clear up this afternoon," June predicted, kissing her husband's cheek,  
"Solas, my daughter tells me you're a great cook." He said cheerfully. "I could use your help with Druffalo."  
"I've never cooked Druffalo." He admitted.  
The man made a shocked face before dragging him out the door. Solas ended up spending the day learning all about skinning and roasting Druffalo, which Mael Lavellan seemed to think was an extremely important life skill. It probably was if you lived in a clan.  
"Wild Druffalo are even nastier than a Bronto when you threaten 'em." He warned Solas. "The whole herd'll attack ya. Bronto doesn't taste as good but they don't travel in groups so it's easier to take one of 'em out and it takes more than an arrow to piss 'em off."  
"I didn't know Bronto lived around here."  
"It's not the right season for 'em but they'll be back. Ever try Nug?"  
"Can't say that I have."  
"You sure you're really an elf?" He asked with a laugh.  
"You caught me. I'm a human with a pair of fake ears glued to my head."  
The Dalish laughed so hard his whole body seemed to join in.  
"You're going to be fun." He declared, slapping Solas on the back. "Glad my girl brought you home instead of those high-strung northern-clan Dalish boys."

The Druffalo wasn't terrible. Solas was the only one who seemed disappointed by it. He'd never tasted it before but it was expensive in the city so he'd assumed it would be magnificent. As it was, he found himself adding a little more salt than was necessary. He wished he were allowed to give the mabari between him and Anastasia his scraps but she's scolded him the last time he tried. "Only their handler may feed them" was one of many rules that came with having a service dog.  
Someone had gotten a couple fires going by the time night fell. Wolfram was curious but he stayed at his master's side.  
"Your dad likes me, but I get the feeling he likes everyone." Solas said, feeding the flames in front of them a stick. "Your mom said I need to impress the keeper but in general, I think the clan considers me a worse choice than a human."  
"That's not true," she said reassuringly. "If you were a human, you'd be sleeping with the halla."  
"Thank you for the overwhelming support."  
"Don't worry so much. Do you know what I did today?"  
"Hm?"  
"I got to mix your face paint for your temporary vallaslin." She laughed. "And before you remind me how much you despise the markings, I just want to let you know that our Keeper traveled five days to find the plant we needed."  
"I guess I have no choice but to wear it then."  
"It'll fade before the next full moon. Wolfie's getting painted too." She smiled down at the mabari. "He's going to make my father so jealous by walking me down the isle."  
"He's going to look better than me, isn't he?" Solas sighed.  
"Don't lose any sleep over it, it's impossible to compete which such a cutie." She reached down to give the dog a quick pat.  
"Sis!" Bran called, sprinting over to them. "Ana! I just talked to mom about your boyfriend-"  
"Fiancé."  
"Whatever, she said that if he dueled someone and won, he'd be able to prove he was worthy of you." He said in a rush. "Dad seems to think it should be one of us but he doesn't want to do it cause he's still tired from hunting."  
"So, we have to duel?" Solas asked.  
"It's the only way to prove you're able to protect my sister!" Bran said,nose in the air. "And don't think I'll go easy on you just because she likes you!"  
They laughed in his face but Anastasia quickly decided that the duel was going to be at dawn and send him off.  
"I can't fight him," Solas hissed as soon as Bran was out of earshot.  
"Sure you can!" She objected. "My parents set him up because he's the weakest person here."  
"Even if he is the weakest, Bran is still a hundred times stronger than me."  
"We'll see in the morning."

Shockingly, he was still not convinced he could win by morning.  
"Look, it's just Bran. My brother's bad at everything so you've got nothing to worry about." Anastasia told him, handing him a wooden shield.  
"I can hear you, you know?" Her younger brother crossed his arms and pouted.  
"If you don't strike first, he'll charge you with the shield." She whispered, pretending to kiss his cheek, "trip him."  
Solas should have known that the strategy Anastasia had given him would only actually work were he fast enough to dodge. As it was, Bran knocked him back several feet with his first charge and ripped his shield away during his second.  
Solas raised the wooden sword he'd been given but inside, he knew it was pointless. Bran came at him again and he couldn't help but cringe.  
The strike never came. Instead of being pummeled, he found himself wincing from a shriek.  
When Solas opened his eyes, Wolfram had Bran's leg between his jaws. Anastasia was standing nearby, looking guiltier than Sera right before they left when they'd caught her stuffing their duffle bags with condoms and lube packets.  
_"You're gettin' married! I'm doin' you lot a favor givin' ya all this straight couple shite!"_ She'd complained when Ana kicked her out. It would have been humorous if she hadn't hidden all of the stuff they'd actually planned to bring with them. Luckily they found most of it shoved under their bed before they missed their ride to the airport.

"So, how does this work?" Anastasia asked later. "Wolfram proved that I don't need anyone to protect me so..."  
"He's worthy of being by your side." The keeper answered. "Bran lost the duel. Solas does not need to protect you so long as you have the mabari, thus there should be no objections."  
The smile she gave Solas wasn't entirely fake and that gave him hope.  
"Be back here at noon. I will paint your marks."

"Have you decided on a god?" The keeper asked, giving the dye a quick stir.  
He shook his head. "I would like a simplified version of Anastasia's vallaslin. I'm pledging my life to her, not a ghost."  
She cocked an eyebrow at him.  
"You betray our creators with that language." She hissed at him in elvish.  
"I do no such thing." He answered. "I will wear Mythal's markings with _pride_ however it is to my wife that I will be loyal."  
She laughed as she took up the applicator. "I didn't realize you had a little wolf in you."  
"More than a little."

"Whose this handsome creature?" Ana teased, reaching out her hand to trace underneath the branches that framed his cheekbones.  
"I'm going to scrub it off as soon as we get back." He whispered.  
"Why? Your boss isn't going to care, she's half elf."  
"It doesn't suit me."  
"None of them would suit you. My grandmother told me that you are the Dread Wold incarnate." Anastasia laughed.  
"Wonderful." He said sarcastically. "I wish she'd told me she wasn't going to join us before I let her doodle all over my face."  
"No, no! She meant it as a good thing."  
"She referred to me as the God of betrayal, in a good way?" He raised an eyebrow.  
She gave him a playful push. "She meant that you would do anything for me. Even if it meant turning your back on everything you held dear."  
"Sounds about right." He said after a moment. "I can't imagine anything more important."  
"Sweet talker." She accused for what was probably the one hundredth time. By now, it was practically his pet name.  
They sat together in a comfortable silence.  
"Tomorrow." She told him.  
"Tomorrow." He agreed.

Solas wasn't used to wearing armor but it suited him better than the fake vallaslin. The fur pelt strung around his shoulder was apparently from one of Anastasia's hunts before she left her clan. A wolf that had been stealing their Halla apparently. She thought it was fitting.

"Now, it is time for you to make a promise," the Keeper said at the conclusion of the ceremony.  
"Sylaise enaste var aravel. Lama, ara las mir lath. Bellanaris." Anastasia said, beaming.  
"Sylaise enaste var aravel. Lama, ara las mir lath. Bellanaris." He repeated, feeling like he was the luckiest man in the world.  
"You are now bonded in the eyes of the gods." Keeper Lavellan said. "Although you may travel far, you will always have the love and the support of your clan. May your love never falter."  
Wolfram looked away from Ana for a moment to look the Keeper in the eyes.  
"And may your mabari always be by your side."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long to update. I re-wrote it three times and then I got the best idea ever for my next story in this series and had to write it. Yes I know, I'm horrible.
> 
> Also uber short wedding chapter because we haven't really seen a Dalish wedding. I used everything I could find on them in this. I did research! Yay! Lol
> 
> Thank you to everyone who stuck with this and for leaving kudos and such. It really means a lot. Thank you all so much! :D


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